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Olympic Viewers Call For Shannon Sharpe To Pay Bronze Medalist Sam Watson His $50K

#2024 Paris Olympics
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Sam Watson wins bronze.

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Olympic viewers are calling for Shannon Sharpe to pay US bronze medalist Sam Watson $50,000. Despite not winning gold, he recorded a historic performance on his way to the podium.

Watson broke his own world record this week in the speed-climbing event during his bronze medal race. It was actually the second time he’d set that WR in Paris.

The climber lost to Wu Peng of China in the semifinals after he’d recorded a 4.75-second time in an elimination heat. At that time, it bested the previous world record of 4.79.

He then notched a 4.74 in his bronze medal matchup on Tuesday.

While the third-place finish is somewhat disappointing for the gold medal favorite, the world record is nothing to hang his head about. And as it turns out, it could be quite lucrative!

After learning of the $37,500 gold medal payouts for US Olympians, former NFL players Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson vowed to pay $25,000 of their own money to first place finishers in Paris.

Taking it a step further, Sharpe pledged to dole out $50,000 for world record breakers.

“You win gold, you get $25k,” the Nightcap Show host said. “And I’ll pay $50k to any American who breaks a world record, I don’t give a damn what the event is!”

Shannon Sharpe had to clarify that world record specification after seeing long distance runner Cole Hocker land gold in the 1500-meter, as he set an Olympic record in the process.

Sam Watson, though, met the world record qualification, and Sharpe’s followers want him to pay up!

Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson are in deep with this Olympic promise as the US continues to pile up gold medals. Americans have won 27 golds to this point, meaning each of the sports show hosts owe $675,000. It looks like another $50,000 will be added.

Sam Watson didn’t get gold, but he might still get paid!